A path to Sainthood
by Vensethu
Summary: Sephiroth is recycled through the life stream. When he awakens he is huanted by visions of a dying Aeris.He must confront his dark past, and either chose a new path or continue his on his old one. Meanwhile the Shinra co. goes to war with Wutai. Set about
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: All characters herein, with the exception of "Mike The Mugger" and Lavantos, are property of SquareSoft (Now Square-Enix) and belong to the Final Fantasy series respectively**. **Relevant story base is also belonging to said group**.

Thoughts and images tore through Sephiroth's mind. For the first time in decades something had caught him off-guard.

"Cloud, you don't need to pretend to be angry, or sad, because cloud you are… (My puppet)"

Clouds eyes, my clone brother, filled with hatred. His heart lay wounded at my hands. All of Jenova's power combined couldn't have stopped the burning in my eyes. My eyes?

"Aeris will never breathe again. She'll never laugh again, or cry." Clouds voice cracking.

Why is this happening? Sorrow? Hatred? I see it in his eyes, and now I feel it as well. What is happening here?

…._It doesn't matter…_

It doesn't matter. Right?

…_only the Promised Land matters…_

Only the Promised Land matters.

Sephiroth was pulled up through the glass observatory.

From that night on, the artificial ancient, rolled the same questions over and over in his head. His chance at godhood had passed. He now floated gracefully in the pulse of the Life Stream, where his thoughts could haunt him further. Now there was something missing, the second voice…telling him what to do…._so lost_.

The course of time seemed absent in this place. Sephiroth's memories were fading rapidly. He knew that soon he would be recycled into the living world again. His former life would be forgotten forever. _Where are you?_

What had become of him that he died? He remembered that he was an Angel, before he died. An Angel, a Saint. What had become of Cloud? Cloud? Who was that? They looked so much alike aside from the hair. Where they brothers?

"Brother..."

It was growing closer, the light. It felt so warm and inviting. He felt at home in this stream of Mako. _Ah, bliss…_

Sephiroth stared up at the cavern ceiling from the warm rocky shoreline on his back on his back. He had floated up through a wellspring in the cavern which was connected to the life stream. Desperately he had tried sitting up or even just turning his head, but his body simply wouldn't respond. He felt like a turtle stuck upside down on its back. The cave was dank and poorly lit by oil fed wall lamps. Its smell was that of death, something which stirred his insides to boiling. Suddenly he remembered war: the flashing of red gradient on steel, blade and shrapnel. Then visions of the ruthless slaughter of a valley town. A blade tore through a young woman's chest, her emerald eyes went dull and her beautiful lifeless form slumped to the ground.

…_Aeris_

Hours past in the dark depressing cave before any sign of life (or undead) could be detected. He heard the sound of heavy unnatural stomps, like that of a large reptile. A wraith mounted on its drake towered over Sephiroth eerily. It reached out a skeletal hand and dropped a small white feather (phoenix down) on his forehead. His entire body convulsed and he drew in a deep involuntary breath. Feeling returned to his limbs, he stumbled to his feet and shot the specter a heated stare. The specter no longer seemed to see him, however, and flew off on his drake to unreachable darkness.

Seph wrenched his arm out of an enormous spider web. A warriors dead and rotting corpse stared at him accusingly, tangled inside the web. This poor soul had been torn apart from the neck down, Seph didn't want to stick around to meet whatever had done it but the body still had more equipment to salvage and he was in no position to be passing it up ; unarmed and with no materia. He snatched the one-time adventurer's long sword and rucksack, and then quickly rolled away from the web just avoiding his second death as a giant arachnid pounced at him from its web grated trap-door. He brought the slightly rusted blade down swiftly, smashing the abomination and leaving it one leg lighter. The barely-stunned monster spat a cluster of contact poison- instantly defected by a spinning blade. Through the spider web encrusted sword Seph noticed something to the weapons usefulness, a small red gem attached at the pommel.

**_Fire Materia!_**

He smiled and pointed the weapon, which was now dripping poison, at the offending creature. The cave was light by a bright flash, and the smell of roasting spider followed.

A cool draft brushed through the cave. Seph turned to the direction of the wind. He was close to the caves exit _finally!_ Crossing a narrow rock-bridge Seph viewed what appeared to be Life Stream wells hardening. At last the cave mouth opened before him and with it came a beautiful starlight sky. He had escaped death.

"Ha!" Seph spoke while looking at his rejuvenated arms.

Seph stretched his arms out to there fullest extent…and his wings ….he had no wings, but he still felt like he could fly. He stood at the foot of the river like canyon mouth. The sky pulsated in the cool night air. _And that statue…_Seph thought _stands a sentinel to this cave._

_Why is the wolf statue guarding this cave?_

He scaled the rocky wall nimbly. Making eyes at the statue, he could tell something wasn't right. It was a large muscular wolf, with the canyon tribe headdress. The back of this fearsome warrior was stuck with enchanted arrows. _This is no statue; it's a petrified pack leader._

Seph reached into his rucksack and managed to locate a bottle of universal solvent (soft). He opened the top and –

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Spoke a low gravely voice from behind Seph.

With blinding speed a great black wolf swatted Sephiroth away from the statue. The potion shattered at the base of the statue…

"You humans think you can just desecrate whatever you lay eyes upon? Seto has done his share of suffering, he has earned his rest." Spoke the wolf again, scanning Seph with one open eye (the other shut tightly).

The black wolf was a Cosmo Canyon Tribelander, no doubt. He wore a leaders feather headdress pulled back, and donned many battle scars on his face and back. One of the creature's eyes was shut tight – contorting its face painfully.

"I'm not here to argue with your ways chief tribelander." Seph stated calmly.

"You smell like shinra, that mako- blood on earth smell. Have I seen you before?" The wolf raised its nose and sniffed intently.

"Damn, the potion! You foolish human!" Raved the dark creature.

It was to late though; the spilt potion had already worked its magic on the once-petrified Seto. The beast awoke with a roar that shook Cosmo Canyon to its mountainous roots.

The local Jazz club in Junon Harbor buzzed with the sounds of the night life. Inside a saxophone is humming lightly above the smoky room. There are three people in black business suites downing shots at the bar while a third, a young woman, fixes her hair impatiently. A tall man with metal knuckle gloves is passed out - sitting up. The man next to him, slightly shorter with short brown spiked hair grabs a waitress's butt as she scuttles by. The third person at the bar, young, beautiful and blonde, rocked off her stool and punched the man in the face.

"Jesus, Elena do you got ants in your pants or something?" The brown haired man managed to cough after sitting back up in his stool.

"Reno, suck a lemon." The woman barked.

"You even drink anything?" Reno proded.

"Some."

"Come on, drink up, I'm paying! Jeez!"

A rugged looking oriental with long greasy frayed black hair and a gotee strided powerfully through the club up to the bar area. He is also dressed in a black suit, a large silver auto-loader hangs at his side shamelessly, in its leather sheath.

"Tseng, sir" Elena stood abruptly and saluted.

"Are you all done wasting my time now?" Tseng growled.

"We have new orders?" Questioned the bald man.

"Rude, get your drunken ass in the chopper."Tseng snapped.

"The rest of you...move it!" Elena chirped in.

On the way out the waitress stopped Reno. She is held the bill up in his face.

"She's paying" Reno smirked, pointing to Elena.

"...Bastard."Elena swore coldly.

The four Turks strut down to the Junon shipping docks. Foot soldiers marched in formation down the street. Hundreds and hundreds of soldiers, their footsteps echoed like gunfire on the paved streets.

_So many practice drills_ Tseng thought.  
_Wutai doesn?t stand a chance._

"What's the word from HQ?" breached Reno, over the whirling chopper blades.

"One of our patrols near Gongaga caught sight of a Wutanese spy. I believe she may have fled to Cosmo Canyon." Tseng replied.

"There's a network of tunnels in those mountains, right?" said Elena.

"Yes, we have our work cut out for us."


	2. War's Web

Even after being petrified for a century Seto was still full of energy, and the effects of "Battle High". The black wolf, Lavantos he named himself, had reluctantly supplied Seto with a brief detachment of the years since his apparent death. Sephiroth sensed deceit in the rugged black wolf's words, but Seto seemed to intent on returning to his village and seeing his son to notice. The three made their way back to the village, Cosmo Canyon.

"I have much to do with the elder chief when we arrive, and I still don't know your name outlander."Lavatos spoke.

The words 'much to do' seemed as an omen to Sephiroth, it was still to much of a foreign matter for him to tell just yet what it was the dark creature was conspiring. Seph remembered the name of his previous life well but failed to understand what reviving the name alone could bring.

"Seph." He replied.

The wolf had taken aback half a step, then continued to walk ahead as though he was never disturbed by the name at all.

"What is it you were doing on the hills? Certainly you didn't come looking to revive our fallen leader?" 

The image of the young woman with emerald eyes shot through him like hellfire. Blood ran from the open wound in the center of her chest. Her sun-touched skin and forest willow brown hair seemed to fade- overcome by the face of a large red furred wolf.

"Well? How did you end up in the Canyon" Seto asked; his interest peaked.

_The girl... _

"The g-I'm looking for someone." Seph blurted.

The villages human elder was a tall, lean and rough necked man appearing to be in his late sixties. For an old man he was in excellent shape. This was in no small way thanks to his practice of the martial arts. So it did not surprise Lavantos nor Seto when they entered his meditation room to find him executing the Five Forms. The old man had caught sight of Seto, and his eyes widened from beneath his scraggly white beard.

Utter silence.

Reno and Tseng approached the Candle's Mouth river followed by two dozen shinra soldiers. They attempted to ford it but where stopped by a pack of scouting wolves. The soldiers trained their weapons on the pack.

"I told that fool : a landing team of no more than five. They probably think we're here to collect tithes on their village." Tseng threw at Reno.

"I'm not the president, stop toss'n accusations at me!"

One of the four dogs barked loudly in Reno's face.

"How cute." Reno replied, without moving an inch.

"Don't take another step! One more and you will be in Tribeland territory." The lead wolf growled protectively.

"We don't want trouble we ju-"

"Don't want trouble! Well if that's so then I suggest you take your hind quarters along with your ronin elsewhere!"

"There is a spy that has done great damage to our nation, who has fled beyond these borders. We need to-" Tseng started, but to little avail.

"I don't care. If it is so important than you'd best take it up with our chief. I cannot give you the authority to cross into our borders, but I **Will **make sure you do **not** cross until then. "

"How are we to talk to your Chief if you will not allow us to pass?"

"That's not my problem"

The attention of several soldiers were now on the tree canopy. A soldiers head whipped back suddenly, the silvery gleam of a shuriken petruded from his forehead and he fell to the ground dead.

"NINJA!" One of the soldiers screamed while opening fire on the tree line.

"Dammit, they set up a trap!" Tseng cried.

The scout wolves took cover. One of them roared "They're attacking us!" To which another replied "You'll regret this!" and they vanished. The smoke of gunfire cleared as Reno raised his hand in the 'cease fire' hand signal.

"This isn't good; they think we were shooting at them!" Tseng reflected with a foreboding tone.

"Who was the dumbass who opened fire?" Reno demanded.

Tseng shook his head.

"It doesn't matter now"

The meditation room was filled with a cool soothing cinnamon scent. The reunion between the old warrior and his tribe members was heart warming, but too short. Lavantos gathered the hunters for a gathering .Seto lowered his head and spoke.

"It's been many years, I understand?"

The human elder, who Seto had known as Bughenhagen, waved his hand in dismissal.

"Not so long that your son doesn't miss you still." The old man smiled.

"Nanaki! Where is he now?"

"He is out hunting for the tribe."

"Ah-ha, that's my cub!"

"Who is this tall young man with you?" Bugenhagen asked.

"He's got Mako poisoning, doesn't remember a thing." Lavantos snorted.

"I was flowing through a warm underground stream, then I found myself in the cave at the mouth of Seto's canyon." Seph explained.

"Interesting. Yes, now that I think about it, there were springs in that cave that connected with the Life Stream. That is one of the reasons that the GI wanted to trounce our village…"

"You said you were searching for someone?" Seto inquired.

"I would like to know where our old chief has been all these long years." One of the hunters spoke.

"I-"

"Will there be a change of command?" Another younger wolf inquired.

"Listen! We will discuss this later. I believe the return of our greatest warrior is a good omen; he brings a sign of power to our tribe. Tonight we celebrate!" Bugenhagen cried out.

"Celebrate indeed!" A wolf called.

"To the return of our savior!" Another bellowed.

"We'll feast on the human!"

"NO! He saved Seto!"

"Then we'll feed our own to him!"

Several of the wolves broke into laughter. Sephiroth shifted nervously on his feet. Something still wasn't right. The way Lavatos stared at Seto; there was rivalry, perhaps even hatred. The stars bored upon the canyon and set forth foreboding shadows across the blood red stone.

Sephiroth winced.

_The smell of blood_ ,he thought, _why hasn't it caught their attention yet?_

Seph tried to gain the attention of Seto, but was interrupted by a large explosion in the direction of Gongaga. The wolves all perked their ears and turned their heads to face the direction of the noise in unison. There is a brief moment of silence followed by the sound of sustained gunfire. Bugenhagen turns on his heels and sprints down the stairs, with feral speed the wolves pass the old master with ease.

They reach the forests and are stopped by a pack of scout wolves.

"What hap-" Seto began

"The Shinra, they tried to enter the canyon!" A scout replied hastily

"What was that explosion from, I see smoke?" Lavantos asked.

"It was Kov, he cast a fire spell to hold them off. The brush is all fire now."

"Why were they trying to enter the canyon" A winded Bugenhagen breeched.

"They said something about a spy." The scouts replied.

"They're accusing us of spying?" Lavantos raved

Lavantos turned to his rival.

"We will push them back to Gangaga." Seto growled.

Lavantos stepped back indignantly.

_An order? You dare give me an order? Still…taking Gongaga seems like a good idea. You win this time. Or maybe…when your guard is down… _

"Alright" Lavantos replied with a smirk.

"We'll use our forefathers tactics." Seto lowered his voice

"It will be a glorious victory." This time the smile on Lavantos' face was real.

BR

A Shinra soldier with gaping claw wounds sifts through the river. He drags out the corpse of another soldier, and sets it out on the shore.

"…"

Reno and Tseng approach as the man removes his helmet.

"Sirs, the Tribelanders…"The young man speaks as he brushes long black hair out of his blue eyes.

"They've chosen to harbor the spy. We know." Tseng replied.

"They slaughtered everyone. Those fucking wolf things know powerful magic cough and they appear from all directions"

"They know this land well. We aren't suited for guerilla warfare." Reno said reluctantly.

"I saw their new leader tear through our formation. Seto, he was … the size of an adult horse, just a damn monster. Luke never stood a chance." The soldier replied while staring down at his fallen comrade.

Tseng flipped open his PHS:

"Tseng here. They've chosen the hard way, Mr. Presidnet. Yes. Yes of course, as soon as Sephiroth is finished in Wutai, My thoughts exactly."

Tseng put the phone in Reno's hand.

"Call the chopper."


End file.
